Oil well derrick



Jan. 19, 1932. A. RAWSON 1,841,671

OIL WELL DERRICK Filed Jan. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l [/v v/v 70/2: 1 Les/fa A. Ran son,

Y 1 55 Y z I ATTORNfX Jan. 19, 1932. RAWSQN 1,841,671

OIL WELL DERRICK Filed Jan. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A es/fe A Ra ms on,

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 um" E STATES) PATENT LESLIE A. ,RAWSON, 012 LOS ANGELES, CALIFOR'NLA ASSIGNOR TO ElVISCO DERRICK &

I intended for use in oil wells, having a novel EQU IPMENT GOMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES,

FORNIA Application filed January 23, 1931.

The invention which constitutes the subject-matter of this application is a derrick,

drill-pipe supporting means incorporated 5 therein.

My invention has particular utility in the oil-producing industry in which derricks are used for the handling of the various apparatus in the well. According to usual well drilling practice, a derrick is constructed above the well and is provided with a crown block at the upper end thereof. Extended around i the crown blockis a cable which supports a travelling block, the travelling block in turn being adapted to handle the various pipes and casings which are used in the well." The hole is drilled by means of the drill-pipe having a bit, which drill-pipe is rotated by a rotary machine. The drill-pipe at the present time consist of stands of pipe of approximately 80 ft. in length. When the'drill-pipe is'removed, which removal is necessary at intervals during the drilling of the well, the stands of pipe are usually placed in asubstantially erect position in the derricln At the present time wells are being drilled quite deep, and it is anticipated by large oil operators that a great many wells will be drilled as deep as 10,000 ft. This necessitates taller derricks and longer stands of pipe for reasons of economical drilling. Applicant has constructed a derrick height and which is designed to accommodate a stand of drill-pipe approximately 120 ft.

rily' all of the stands of pipe constituting the drill-pipe are placed in the derrick and theremay be seventy-five or one hundred of these stands of pipe, all of which exert a force against the derrick.

My invention provides a tall derrick of the character just mentioned, adapted to accomthe top or the crown of the which is over 160 ft. in

It should be understood that ordina GALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- OIL WELL DERRICK Serial no. 510,760.

modate long stands of pipe, which is designed so that the upper structure of the derrick may be lighter than required if the ordinary method of supporting the pipe were used. In the derrick of my invention I provide' an upper pipe support which is placed near the upper end of the stand of pipe and a lower pipe support which is placed substantially at the central part thereof. These pipe supports are designed so that the stands 0 pipe engage them, and so that both of them transferforce to the derrick. The result Or this combination is that all of the load of the stands of pipe is not transferred to theupper part of the derrick, but a portion of it is transferred directly to the central part of it. By reason of this arrangement, the derrick is made relatively heavy up to the central part and may then be made lighter from there to derrick. A further advantage accruing from this arrangementis that the central support prevents an undue curving of the stands of pipe when they are resting in the derrick. The advantage of this will be quite evident when it is remembered that many stands of drill-pipe are placed one leaning against the other, and that the pipes against whichthe others lean must support those pipes. By using the intermediate pipe support the stands of pipe against which the other stands of pipe rest may be prevented from curving a great amount;

If desired, one of the pipe supports may be adjustable to take care of the difierent positions or the pipe. For example, if the first row of the stands of pipe set in the derrick is not properly placed, either the upper pipe support or the lower pipe support will not engage these first stands of pipe. If both of the pipe supports are immovable, much care must be exercised in properly placing the first row of star) ds of pipe. If either one of the pipe-supports is adjustable, then after the first row of stands of pipe is set the adjustable pipe support may be adjusted into proper engagingposition.

In some installatlons it may be desirable to have automatic means for proportioning the load of the standsof pipe onthe pipe supports. If this is desired, my invention provides it. One manner of accomplishing this result is to make both of the pipe supports adjustable and to have them associated with hydraulic pressure means. By connecting. the hydraulic pressure means together each pipe support may be made to take a certain proportion of the load of the stands of pipe.

In the drawings Ihave shown three forms in which my invention may be incorporated. These three forms are typical. of three different types of constructions and each type may of course be changed in detail without ceparting from the essence of the invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational diagrammatic view showing a derrick constructed in accordance with my invention and havin stands of pipe supported therein.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view which illustrates the form of my invention in which the pipe supports are automatically controlled.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly F 1 to 5, the derrick of my inven tion has a base 11 which is supported on the ground by suitable foundations. Extending upward from the base is a tower structure 12. This tower structure 12 may be of usual design including legs 14 which are braced by bracings 15. Supported at the upper end of the tower structure is a crown 16 which, according to usual practice, carries a crown block 17. The various apparatus which are ordinarily employed in the derrick do not constitute a part or the combination of my invention, and for this reason they are not shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that tile parts which constitute my invention are ordinarily employedin combination with the usual derrick apparatus and do not in any way interfere with the usual position or usual operation of such derrick apparatus.

Secured in a horizontal position across one side of the tower structure is an upper ipe support 20 which consists of aplank which may be secured to cross pieces 21 which constitute a part ot the derrick bracin Extending outward from the upper port. 20 at right angle-. thereto, and su tially on a line whicl'i inte axis of the w bel w the in level near th ipe adapted s secoL-da 1 s the vertical .laterial This lower pipe support 24 consists of a plank which extends across the tower structure in the same direction as the upper pipe support 20. In this form of my invention the lower pipe support 24 is made adjustable and may be moved in the directions indicated by the arrow 25 by an adjustment means shown best in Fig. 5. Secured to the plank which forms the lower support 24 is a threaded nut 27, and secured to a cross member. 28 which forms a part of the bracing 15 is a nut 29. Extended through each of these nuts 27 and 29 is a lead screw 30 having an enlarged portion 31 in which openings are provided for the application of a bar whereby the lead screw may be rotated. By operating the lead screws 30, one of which is placed near each end of the lower pipe support 24, the lower pipe support 24 may be moved in opposite directions, a indicated by the arrow 25.

Adapted to be supported by the upper and lower pipe supports 20 and 24 are stands of pipe 34 which constitute sections of the drillpipe used in the drilling of the well. These stands of pipe are approximately 4 in diameter and in this particular derrick are about 120 ft. in length. They are therefore quite flexible and if not properly supported will bend considerably. The lower ends of the stands of pipe rest on the derrick floor in one rectangular corner area, as shown in Fig. 2. They extend upward, shown in Fig. 1, leaning to the right towards the pipe supports and leaning slightly towards the center, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the upper ends of the pipe are supported on the right side by-the upper pipe support 20, and on the other side, as viewed in Fig. 4, are supportedby the finger 23. Since most of the inclination is towards the upper pipe support 20, practically all of the load is applied to the upper pipe support and but a very small load is applied to the finger 23. The first row of stands of pipe placed in the derrick, which row is indicated by the numeral 35, is positioned so that this row engages the upper pipe support 20, and, preferably, so that it engages the lower pipe support 24, as shown in Fig. 1, which prevents the stands of pipe from bending any great amount. If the first row, however, is not properly set, workman in the derrick may adjust the lower pipe support'2-l by operating the lead screws 30 and bring this lower pipe support 24 into a proper position relative to the upper pipe support 20 and the row 35.

In the derrick in which my invention is intended for use, the stands of pipe 34 are approximately 120 ft. in length. The crown of the derrick is substantially 169 ft. from the ground, the upper pipe support substantially 100 ft. from the ground, and the lower pipe supportis substantially ft. from the ground. The upper pipe support 20 supports apart of the load of the stands of pipe 34,

pipe support piston 451s operable.

and the lower pipe support 24 supports the remaining part of the load. Therefore, the upper pipe support transfers part of the load to the derrick and the lower pipe support transfers the other part of the load to the derrick. By reason of this arrangement the upper structure of the derrick may be made lighter than would ordinarily be required and a fairly large saving in material will be efi'ected. Furthermore, by placing less strain in the upper part of the derrick a safer structure is provided, and the stands of pipe 34 are not permitted to curve. Consequently, they are much easier to handle in placing them in the derrick and in removing them from the derrick, and no strains are placed on the stands of pipe during the time that they are positioned in the derrick.

It is not necessary that either of the pipe supports be made adjustable, but the adjustable feature may be of some value, since if the first row of the stands of pipe 35 is not properly positioned, the adjustable pipe support may be adjusted to bring it into a proper relation with the other of the pipe supports and the row of stands of pipe 35. This adjustment could be accomplished much easier than by changing the position of the row of stands of pipe 85. Either the lower pipe support as may be adjustable, as shown, or the upper pipe support 20 may be adjustable.

In Fig. 6 l diagrammatically show form of my invention which is automatic in operation. In this form of the invention the parts corresponding to the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 5 will have'numerals which correspond. lin this form of my invention now under discussion, a cylind r 40* is secured to the upper pipe support 20, in which cylinder a piston 41 is operable. Extending from the piston 4-1 is a piston rod l2 which is rigidly secured to the tower structure of the derrick. For example, it may be secured to the cross member 21. Secured to the lower 24 is a cylinder 44: in which a Extending from the piston 4-5 is a piston rod 46 which is secured to the derrick and may be attached directly to a cross member 28. Connected to the cylinder 40 andto the cylinder 4-4: is a fluid conduit l8. Contained in the fluid conduit l8 in the cylinders 40 and ist a fluid 49 which is preferably an incompressible fluid, such as oil. EV hen the stands of pipe are .laced in the derrick, the-y engage the upper .nd lower pipe supports and force them to 7 e right, as iewed in Fig. 6, thus placing our the fluid l9 under pressure. Since the two cylinders 40 and 44 are connected together,

the pressure in each of thee-cylinders is the 7 same, and tie fluid means will therefore cause the pipe supports to automatically adjust tiemselves to take a certain proportion of the load. The proportion of the load supported by the pipe supports are determined against, the

by the relative areas of cross-section of the two cylinders and pistons. It will be understood that in Fig. 6 I have illustrated but one type of equalizing means which is hydraulic. lt is obvious that it is within the cope of my invention to provide a mechanical means, such as a lever system, for proportioning the load. V

The two forms of the invention illustrated include the essential features of my invention. Basically, my invention consists of a derrick having an upper pipe support and a lower pipe support which support a stand or a plurality of stands of pipe, withthe result that the upper derrick structure may be very light and a safer structure provided by reason of less strains being exerted on the upper part of the derrick, and the stands of pipe are better supported in toe derrick and are irevented from undue curving or bending.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a derrick of the class described, the combination of: a base; a tower structure on said base; an upper pipe support secured to said tower structure for supporting the upper part of a drill-pipe which leans thereagainst, the lower end of said drill-pipe resting on said base; cured to said tower structure below said up per pipe support against which saiddrillpipe leans, for supporting a portion of the weight of said drill-pipe; and means for pro-- portioning the load carried by said pipe supports.

2. In a derrick of the class described, the combination of: a base; a tower structure on said base; an upper pipe support secured to said tower structure for supporting the upper part of a drill-pipe which leans therelower end of said drill-pipe rest ing on said base; and a lower pipe supportsecured to said tower structure below said upper pipe support against which said drillpipe leans, for supporting a portion of the weight of said drill-pipe.

3. In a derrick of the class described, the combination of: a base; a tower structure on said base an upper pipe support secured to said tower structure for supporting the upper part of a drill-pipe which leans thereagainst, the lower end of said drillpipe resting on said base; and a lower pipe support secured to said tower structure below said upper pipe support against which said drillpipe loans, for supporting a portion of the weight said drill-pipe, one of said pipe supports being adjustable.

In testimony whereohl have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 30 day of December, 1980.

LESLIE A. RAVVSON. 

